Tories ‘will concrete over Basildon green spaces’ (From Echo)

Tories ‘will concrete over Basildon green spaces’

2:00pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Basildon By Faye Hackwell

Basildon will become overcrowded and lose its fields while Billericay will be protected from development under radical housing proposals, Labour councillors claimed.

They were at loggerheads with the ruling Tory party for almost two hours during a heated Basildon Council meeting.

It discussed a document detailing where up to 21,600 homes could be built in the next 20 years.

Labour councillors voted against the strategy going to public consultation because they disagreed with its contents. But they were outvoted and residents will now get a say before the policy is finalised.

The document sets out three options and the council will use the chosen one to guide the number of homes developers can build up to 2031.

The Tories' preferred option involves a minimum of 6,500 homes for about 9,000 people — focusing on urban areas and avoiding building on green belt.

The second option is for 10,100 houses, including 6,700 houses in urban areas, where green spaces would be built on, and some development on green belt.

The third is for 21,600 houses, with 14,600 set for green belt land and 7,500 for urban areas – catering for 36,000 residents.

Labour claimed the strategy would strip residents in Basildon of green spaces to make way for development, while steering clear of rural areas, like Billericay, dominated by green belt.

Keith Bobbin, Labour councillor for Pitsea North West, said: "There's enough spaces to build houses across the borough, not just in the new town, and still keep our green belt.

“One way we’ve got to go is Billericay – green belt is not a sacrament you can’t touch.’’ Labour leader Lynda Gordon accused Tories of failing to listen to residents who have fought to save green spaces at Kent View Road, Vange, and Gloucester Park, Basildon, from development over the past two years.

She said: “A large proportion of what you're going to do is in Basildon – you’re going to concerete over green spaces.’’ Tory councillors argued they were open to residents’ views.

Council leader Tony Ball said protecting green belt was “above all other considerations’’ and urged residents to embrace the consultation.

A public exhibition on the plans takes place across the borough between February 27 and March 22. For details, visit www.basildon.gov.uk/ldf